Coeliac Disease
Coeliac disease is a prevalent disorder (1-3%) with large unmet needs with regard to both diagnosis and treatment.The disease is caused by harmful immune reactions to cereal gluten proteins. The lesion of the small intestine with blunting of villi causes impaired nutrient absorption leading to some of the characteristic symptoms: diarrhoea, anaemia, osteoporosis and child growth retardation.
While often categorised as a food hypersensitivity disorder, the disease has many autoimmune characteristics with highly disease specific autoantibodies being the most notable.The disease has a strong heritable component with HLA genes as the major genetic factor. It shares many key features with HLA-associated diseases like primary sclerosing cholangitis, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
Over the last 20 years, huge advances have been made in the understanding of the pathophysiology of the disorder. This insight has spurred into improved diagnostic assays and a handful of novel treatments are currently tested in clinical trials.
Our reserach projects
A non-exhaustive list of active research projects is given below. A more detailed description of active research projects will be published in the fall of 2024.
- T-cell and B-cell interplay and cross-talk
- T-cell phenotype and trajectories
- Immune receptor analysis for diagnostics
- Mechanisms of gluten induced intestinal remodeling
- Novel approaches to monitor disease activity
- Clinical trials